Policy Lab for Utility Scale Solar PV with Multifunctional Land Use

Combining ground mounted solar PV with rewetting of drained peatlands ("peatland PV" or "rewetted peatland PV"), or with active agriculture (“agrivoltaics”), can provide society with more renewable electricity production while reducing climate impact and improving the profitability and resilience of agriculture. The PLUS Sol project is a so‑called policy lab, aiming to simplify regulations and propose effective policies for sustainable land use through solar parks with combined land benefits. We therefore bring together a wide range of stakeholders around our two case studies and examine the needs, challenges, and drivers required for these sites to be developed quickly and efficiently.

On rewetting peatlands PLUS solar power

Sweden has large areas of peatlands, many of which have been drained so that ground water levels are low. When peatlands dry out, they release more greenhouse gases — something that can be counteracted if the land is rewetted.

One way to accelerate rewetting efforts could be to combine them with the establishment of solar parks. There are certain challenges that lead to higher construction costs, but given the right conditions, profitable solar parks on rewetted peatlands are considered feasible.

The project’s work on rewetting is based on a former peat extraction site where a solar park of over 300 MW plus energy storage is being planned. The area is currently quite overgrown, and up to 150 hectares of drained peatland may be suitable for rewetting. The project maps the various actors’ needs and challenges, which will result in new policy‑based proposals. The process is supported by knowledge from researchers in several relevant fields, such as climate impacts from peatlands, solar energy applications, and related disciplines.

On active agriculture PLUS solar power

The conflict between agriculture and solar power has received significant attention. The expansion of large solar parks has the potential to threaten access to agricultural land, while at the same time improving farmers’ financial viability. Agrivoltaics is a way to promote fossil‑free electricity production, enable continued farming on the land, reduce climate impact, and strengthen farmers’ economic sustainability. However, obtaining permits for solar power on agricultural land is difficult, and today farmers lose their agricultural subsidies when solar panels are installed — even if farming continues.

The project’s policy lab for agrivoltaics is based on a farm engaged in agricultural research and a so‑called “living lab” for agrivoltaics. Researchers in solar‑agriculture systems, food production, and other relevant areas participate. The work aims to result in a proposed definition of agrivoltaics in Sweden, giving agrivoltaics a clear place — not only in land use, but also within regulatory frameworks.

About policy labs

The policy lab methodology uses creative working methods in an exploratory and co‑creative process with many participants. Each case study is examined from multiple perspectives, which are translated into different needs. The project team then develops innovative proposals and policy ideas to support the participants and meet these needs.

By gathering many perspectives and inputs — including from national authorities — the intention is that the policy lab’s proposals can be applied in suitable locations across Sweden.

What do we hope to achieve with PLUS Sol?

If the project succeeds in meeting its goals and its proposed measures are effectively implemented into policy, the impact and societal benefits could be substantial. For example, if 5% of the agricultural land in Sweden that is currently considered highly suitable for agrivoltaics were used for that purpose, it could contribute around 10 TWh of renewable solar electricity per year, while also generating income for farmers who continue to actively cultivate their land.

A similar amount of solar power could likely be produced on rewetted peatlands if just 1.5% of these areas were used for solar park development — with added benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions amounting to several hundred thousand tonnes of CO₂ equivalents. In both concepts, the negative impacts of dual land use are expected to be small, and valuable land elsewhere can be protected from exploitation.